Garment processing apparatus and method of controlling garment processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a garment processing apparatus which comprises: a tub rotatably supporting a drum for storing garments; a driving part or unit for rotating the drum; a magnetic force generating part provided on either one of the drum and the tub to generate magnetic force; and a signal generating part provided on the remaining one of the drum and the tub to generate different signals based on magnetic force that changes according to the position of the magnetic force generating part.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional Application of prior U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/553,355 filed Aug. 24, 2017, which is a U.S.National Phase Application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of InternationalApplication PCT/KR2016/002132 filed on Mar. 3, 2016, which claims thebenefit of Korean Application No. 10-2015-0029772, filed Mar. 3, 2015,whose entire disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a garment processing apparatus (alaundry treating apparatus) and a method of controlling garmentprocessing apparatus (a method of controlling the laundry treatingapparatus).

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional laundry treating apparatus includes a cabinet forming anexternal appearance, a tub provided inside the cabinet, a drum rotatablyprovided inside the tub to wash laundry, and a motor of which rotaryshaft is fixed to the drum by passing through the tub to rotate thedrum.

The drum may be rotated without maintaining dynamic equilibriumdepending on a position of laundry stored therein.

Dynamic equilibrium means ‘the state that a centrifugal force or amoment made by the centrifugal force is 0 with respect to a rotary shaftwhen a rotor is rotated’. In case of a rigid body, if mass distributionof the rigid body is uniformly maintained around the rotary shaft,dynamic equilibrium is maintained.

Therefore, dynamic equilibrium in the laundry treating apparatus may beunderstood that mass distribution of laundry is within an allowablerange around the rotary shaft of the drum when the drum is rotated in astate that laundry is stored in the drum (the case that the drum isrotated while being vibrated within the allowable range).

In contrast, the state that dynamic equilibrium has been broken (i.e.,unbalance) in the laundry treating apparatus means that massdistribution is not maintained uniformly around the rotary shaft of thedrum when the drum is rotated. This unbalance is generated when laundryis not distributed uniformly inside the drum.

If the drum of the unbalance state is rotated, the drum is vibrated, andthe vibration of the drum is delivered to the tub or the cabinet,whereby a problem occurs in that noise is caused.

The conventional laundry treating apparatus includes balancing units tosolve unbalance of the drum. The balancing units provided in theconventional laundry treating apparatus are ball balancers or fluidbalancers having a ball or a fluid received in a housing fixed to thedrum.

The ball balancer or the fluid balancer included in the conventionallaundry treating apparatus functions to control unbalance by moving theball or the fluid to an opposite side of a direction where laundrycausing unbalance is located when a rotation track of the drum wobblesby means of the laundry causing unbalance.

However, the aforementioned unbalance control is useful for a steadystate that vibration of the drum is within a certain range, whereas aproblem occurs in that the unbalance control is not effective at atransient vibration state of the drum. Also, the conventional balancingunit has a structure that it is difficult to immediately solve unbalance(actively solve unbalance) when unbalance is generated.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

An object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treatingapparatus and a method of controlling the same, which may determinewhether a drum is rotated at an unbalance state that laundry is notdistributed uniformly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treatingapparatus and a method of controlling the same, in which a drum may beprevented from colliding with a tub.

Other object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treatingapparatus and a method of controlling the same, in which unbalance maybe solved actively.

Technical Solution

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, the present invention provides a laundrytreating apparatus comprising a drum in which laundry is stored; a tubfor rotatably supporting the drum; a driving unit for rotating the drum;a magnetic force generator provided in any one of the drum and the tubto generate a magnetic force; and a signal generator provided in theother one of the drum and the tub to generate different signals based onthe magnetic force varied depending on a position of the magnetic forcegenerator.

The magnetic force generator and the signal generator may be provided tobe spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance along aheight direction of the drum or provided to be spaced apart from eachother at a predetermined distance along a direction parallel with adiameter direction of the drum.

The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a controller forcontrolling an operation of the driving unit in accordance with a signalprovided by the signal generator while the drum is being rotated.

The controller may lower RPM of the drum or stop rotation of the drum bycontrolling the driving unit if it is determined that the magnetic forceof the magnetic force generator, which is sensed by the signalgenerator, gets out of a preset reference range.

The magnetic force generator may include permanent magnets fixed to thedrum, the signal generator may include a sensor for generating a greatervoltage signal if the permanent magnets are close to one another, andthe controller may lower RPM of the drum or stop rotation of the drum bycontrolling the driving unit when a voltage signal sensed by the signalgenerator is the reference value or more.

The driving unit may include a stator fixed to the tub, forming arotating magnetic field; a rotor rotated by the rotating magnetic field;a rotary shaft provided to pass through the tub to connect the drum withthe rotor and provided along a direction vertical to a ground.

The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a ring shapedhousing fixed to the drum; a plurality of storage units or chambersprovided inside the housing to provide a space where washing water isstored and provided to be partitioned from each other; an inlet forallowing the washing water to enter each of the storage units; adischarge inlet for discharging the washing water inside each of thestorage units to the drum; and a housing water supply unit for supplyingthe washing water to the inlet.

The magnetic force generator may be provided in each of the storageunits, or provided in a part of the storage units, wherein the magneticforce generators may be spaced apart from one another at a constantinterval.

The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a tub inlet providedto pass through the tub, into which laundry is put; and a drum inletprovided to pass through the drum and communicated with the tub inlet,wherein the housing may be fixed to any one of the drum inlet, acircumferential surface of the drum and the bottom of the drum.

The present invention provides a method of controlling a laundrytreating apparatus, which comprises a drum in which laundry is stored, atub for rotatably supporting the drum, a driving unit for rotating thedrum, a magnetic force generator provided in any one of the drum and thetub to generate a magnetic force, and a signal generator provided in theother one of the drum and the tub to generate different signalsdepending on the magnetic force of the magnetic force generator, themethod comprising the steps of rotating the drum at a preset referenceRPM through the driving unit; stopping an operation of the driving unitif the magnetic force sensed by the signal generator gets out of apreset reference range; supplying washing water to the tub through watersupply units and rotating the drum at RPM different from the referenceRPM through the driving unit; draining the washing water stored in thetub; and rotating the drum at the reference RPM through the drivingunit.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present invention, a laundry treating apparatus and amethod of controlling the same may be provided, which may determinewhether a drum is rotated at an unbalance state that laundry is notdistributed uniformly.

Also, according to the present invention, a laundry treating apparatusand a method of controlling the same may be provided, in which a drummay be prevented from colliding with a tub.

Also, according to the present invention, a laundry treating apparatusand a method of controlling the same may be provided, in which unbalancemay be solved actively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a laundry treating apparatus accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a sensor provided in the presentinvention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an example of a first balancer provided in thepresent invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an example of a second balancer provided in thepresent invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Meanwhile, elements or control method of apparatuses whichwill be described below are only intended to describe the embodiments ofthe present invention and are not intended to restrict the scope of thepresent invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will beused throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

As shown in FIG. 1, a laundry treating apparatus 100 according to thepresent invention includes a cabinet 1 for forming an externalappearance, a tub 2 provided inside the cabinet 1, storing washing watertherein, a drum 4 provided inside the tub 2, for receiving laundrytherein, and a driving unit 5 for rotating the drum 4.

The cabinet 1 includes an inlet 11 for supplying laundry to the drum 4or taking the laundry stored in the drum out of the drum 4, and theinlet 11 includes a door 13 rotatably provided in the cabinet 1.

A control unit 15 may be provided on the bottom of the cabinet 1. Thecontrol unit 15 is a means for supporting the cabinet 1 on the ground G(bottom surface of a space where the laundry treating apparatus will beinstalled), and a user may control a height or level of the cabinet 1through the control unit 15.

The tub 2 may be provided in all shapes that may store washing water.The washing water may be supplied to the tub 2 through water supplyunits 17 and 19, and the tub 2 discharges the washing water storedtherein to the outside of the cabinet through drainage units 16 and 18.

The water supply units may include a water supply pipe 17 connected witha water supply source and a valve 19 for opening or closing the watersupply pipe 17 in accordance with a control command of a controller (notshown), and the drainage units may include a pump 18 for discharging thewashing water in the tub 2 to the outside of the tub 2, and a drainagepipe 16 for guiding the water pressurized by the pump to the outside ofthe cabinet 1.

The tub 2 includes a tub inlet 21 communicated with the inlet 11, andmay be fixed into the cabinet 1 through a tub support unit 3. The tubsupport unit 3 is preferably provided in a structure that may absorbvibration generated in the tub 2.

That is, the tub support unit 3 may include a first support unit 31provided in the cabinet 1, a second support unit 33 provided in the tub2, and a connection unit 35 having one end connected to the firstsupport unit and the other end connected to the second support unit.

The connection unit 35 may be provided as a bar coupled to the firstsupport unit 31 through a mounting portion 37 and connected to thesecond support unit 33 through a flange 38 and a pressurizing unit 39.

The mounting portion 37 is provided in a spherical shape and mounted ona receiving groove of the first support unit 31, and the pressurizingunit 39 may be provided as a compression spring located between theflange 38 and the second support unit 33 to respectively pressurize thesecond support unit 33 and the flange 38.

Therefore, vibration of the tub 2 with respect to a direction Y (heightdirection of the drum) vertical to the ground may be attenuated by thepressurizing unit 39, and vibration of the tub 2 with respect to a plane(plane parallel with X-axis and plane parallel with a diameter directionof the drum) parallel with the ground G may be attenuated by themounting portion 37 and the pressurizing unit 39.

The drum 4 may be provided as a body 41 located inside the tub 2 toreceive laundry therein. Since the body 41 is rotated inside the tub bythe driving unit 5, it is preferable that the body 41 is provided in acylindrical shape.

A drum inlet 411 communicated with the tub inlet 21 may be provided inthe body 41, and a through hole 413 for allowing the washing watersupplied to the tub 2 to enter the body 41 may be provided on thecircumferential surface of the body 41.

The drum inlet 411 may be provided in all shapes that may communicatethe tub inlet 21 with the inside of the body 41. In FIG. 1, the drumunlet 411 is provided as an opening surface located on an upper surfaceof the body 41 as an example.

The aforementioned drum 4 is rotated inside the tub 2 by the drivingunit 5.

The laundry treating apparatus 100 of the present invention may beprovided in any one of a top loading type in which the inlet 11 islocated on an upper surface of the cabinet 1 and a front loading type inwhich the inlet 11 is located on a front surface of the cabinet 1.

FIG. 1 illustrates that the laundry treating apparatus 100 of thepresent invention is a top loading type. In this case, the inlet 11, thetub inlet 21 and the drum inlet 411 should be provided on the uppersurface of the cabinet 1, the upper surface of the tub 2, and the uppersurface of the body 41, respectively.

Also, the driving unit 5 provided in the top loading type laundrytreating apparatus may include a stator 53 fixed to an outer bottom ofthe tub 2, forming a rotating magnetic field, a rotor 55 rotated by therotating magnetic field, a rotary shaft 58 provided to pass through thebottom of the tub 2, connecting the rotor 55 with the body 41, and ashaft support unit 51 provided in the tub, rotatably supporting therotary shaft 57.

Meanwhile, if the laundry treating apparatus is provided in the frontloading type, the inlet 11, the tub inlet 21 and the drum inlet 411should be provided on the front surface of the cabinet 1, the tub 2 andthe body 41, respectively. In this case, since the body 41 of the drumshould be provided in such a manner that its rotation center is parallelwith the ground G, the driving unit provided in the front loading typelaundry treating apparatus should be provided with a stator fixed to anouter rear surface of the tub, a rotary shaft connecting the body with arotor by passing through the rear surface of the tub, and a shaftsupport unit provided in the tub, rotatably supporting the rotary shaft.

In the laundry treating apparatus having the aforementioned structure,the controller supplies washing water to the tub 2 through the watersupply units 17 and 19, and the driving unit 5 rotates the drum 4 to rubthe laundry with the washing water, whereby the laundry is washed.Afterwards, the controller discharges the washing water to the outsideof the tub through the drainage units 16 and 18 and dehydrates thelaundry by rotating the drum 4 through the driving unit 4.

If the drum 4 is rotated in a state that the laundry is concentrated ona part of the drum without being distributed uniformly in the drumdespite that the drum support unit 3 performs a function of attenuatingvibration of the tub, an unbalance state that the drum is vibratedbeyond an allowable range occurs in the drum 4. If the drum 4 of theunbalance state is rotated, vibration is generated in the drum 4, andvibration of the drum 4 is delivered to the tub 2 or the cabinet 1,whereby a problem occurs in that noise caused.

The laundry treating apparatus 100 of the present invention may includea sensor 7 to determine whether the drum 4 is in the unbalance state ormay collide with the tub 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sensor 7 may include a magnetic force generator73 provided in any one of the drum 4 and the tub 2, generating amagnetic force, and a signal generator 71 provided in the other one ofthe drum 4 and the tub 2, transmitting a signal, which is based on amagnetic force varied depending on the position of the magnetic forcegenerator 73, to the controller.

The magnetic force generator 73 may be provided in all shapes that maygenerate a magnetic force, and its example may include a permanentmagnet. The signal generator 71 may be provided in all shapes that maygenerate a signal proportional to or inverse proportional to the size ofthe magnetic force, and its example may include a sensor for generatinga greater voltage signal if the magnetic force is greater.

In this case, the drum 4 is rotated by the driving unit 5, whereas thetub 2 is fixed by the tub support unit 3. In this respect, it ispreferable that the signal generator 71 is provided in the tub 2 and themagnetic force generator 73 is fixed to the drum 4.

Meanwhile, the signal generator 71 and the magnetic force generator 73may be arranged along a direction Y vertical to the ground, or may bearranged along a direction X parallel with the ground.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), if the signal generator 71 and the magnetic forcegenerator 73 are arranged along a direction vertical to the ground, thesignal generator 71 is preferably provided on the upper surface of thetub, where the tub inlet 21 is located, and the magnetic force generator73 is preferably provided on the upper surface of the drum, where thedrum inlet 411 is located.

Since the signal generator 71 is a means for transmitting a signal tothe controller, it is preferable that the signal generator 71 is not incontact with the washing water stored in the tub 2. A maximum waterlevel that may be supplied to the tub in the general top loading typelaundry treating apparatus is lower than the height of the drum inlet411. Therefore, the signal generator 71 may be provided in any area ofthe tub 2 if the signal generator 71 is higher than the drum inlet 411,and the upper surface of the tub is an example of an area where thesignal generator may be located.

Meanwhile, since an amplitude of the drum 4 in the top loading typelaundry treating apparatus becomes greater if it becomes far away fromthe rotary shaft 51, the upper end of the drum 4 corresponds to theportion where the amplitude of the drum 4 is the greatest in the toploading type laundry treating apparatus.

Therefore, if the signal generator 71 is provided to sense the magneticforce generator 73 located at the upper end of the drum (if the signalgenerator is provided to sense an upper end amplitude of the drum), itwill be favorable when the controller determines whether unbalance isgenerated based on the signal transmitted from the signal generator 71or collision between the drum and the tub is predicted.

If the sensor 7 is provided with one signal generator 71 provided in thetub and one magnetic force generator 73 provided in the drum, since thelaundry is concentrated on an area of the outer circumference surface ofthe drum 4, where the magnetic force generator 73 is not located, it maybe difficult to predict the case that the area of the drum 4 where themagnetic force generator 73 is not located collides with the tub.Therefore, it is preferable that either a plurality of signal generators71 or a plurality of magnetic force generators 73 are provided.

That is, the signal generator 71 provided in the present invention mayinclude a plurality of sensors (ex: three sensors spaced apart from oneanother at 120° and fixed to the tub) spaced apart from one another at aconstant interval and fixed to the tub, and the magnetic force generator73 may include a plurality of permanent magnets (ex: three permanentmagnets spaced apart from one another at 120° and fixed to the outercircumference surface of the drum) spaced apart from one another at aconstant interval and fixed to the drum.

If the signal generator 71 and the magnetic force generator 73 arearranged along a direction parallel with the ground (FIG. 2(b)), it ispreferable that the signal generator 71 is located on an upper portionof the inner circumference surface of the tub and the magnetic forcegenerator 73 is located on an upper portion of the outer circumferencesurface of the drum.

If the signal generator 71 and the magnetic force generator 73 arearranged along a direction parallel with the ground (FIG. 2(b)), it islikely to predict the possibility of collision between the drum and thetub more easily than the case that the signal generator 71 and themagnetic force generator 73 are arranged along the direction vertical tothe ground (FIG. 2(a)).

The signal generator 71 may be provided to be fixed to the innercircumference surface of the tub and provided at a position (ex:balancer) higher than the drum inlet 411, and the magnetic forcegenerator 73 may be fixed to the outer circumference surface of the drumcorresponding to the height of the signal generator 71.

Even in this case, it is preferable that either a plurality of signalgenerators 71 or a plurality of magnetic force generators 73 areprovided. Preferably, the magnetic force generator 73 fixed to the drumincludes a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one anotherat a constant interval.

If the drum 4 is rotated in a state that there is no unbalance in anycase (the case that the signal generator 71 and the magnetic forcegenerator 73 are arranged along a direction parallel with the ground orthe case that the signal generator 71 and the magnetic force generator73 are arranged along a direction vertical to the ground), since themagnetic force generator 73 fixed to the drum 4 will be rotated togetherwith the drum 4, the signal generator 71 fixed to the tub 2 may sense amagnetic force within a reference range (or reference value) at acertain cycle (cycle varied depending on RPM of the drum).

However, if the drum is rotated in a state that there is unbalance, thesignal generator 71 will sense a magnetic force beyond the referencerange (or reference value). If it is determined that the size of themagnetic force sensed by the signal generator 71 is beyond the referencerange, the controller (not shown) may stop the operation of the drivingunit 5 or reduce RPM of the driving unit 5 (reduce RPM of the drum) toprevent collision between the drum 4 and the tub 2 from occurring.

If the signal generator 71 is provided as a sensor that generates agreat voltage signal in proportion to the magnetic force of the magneticforce generator 73, the controller may stop the operation of the drivingunit when the voltage signal sensed by the signal generator 71 exceeds apreset reference range or reference value.

Meanwhile, if it is determined that the signal transmitted from thesignal generator 71 is beyond the reference range, to solve theunbalance, the controller (not shown) may supply the water to the tub 2through the water supply units and then rotate the drum through thedriving unit 5, thereby distributing the laundry stored in the drum 4.

To actively solve the unbalance state generated in the drum 4, thelaundry treating apparatus 100 of the present invention may furtherinclude balancers 61 and 64 for temporarily storing externally suppliedfluid to locally change a weight of the drum.

As shown in FIG. 1, the balancers may be provided as a first balancer 61provided at the upper portion of the drum 4 and a second balancer 64provided at the lower portion of the drum 4.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first balancer 61 may include a first housing611 fixed to the drum 4, storage units 611 b provided inside the firsthousing, providing a space where the fluid is stored, a first inlet 613for allowing the fluid to enter the storage units 611 b, and a firstdischarge unit 615 discharging the fluid inside the storage units 611 bto the outside of the storage units 611 b.

As shown in FIG. 4, since the first housing 611 should be provided so asnot to cover the drum inlet 411, it is preferable that first housing 611is provided in a ring shape to have a through hole 611 a at the center.

At least two storage units 611 b should be provided inside the firsthousing, and the respective storage units 611 b should be partitionedfrom each other by a barrier 611 c. The storage units 611 b store thefluid supplied through the first inlet 613 provided to pass through thefirst housing 611.

Meanwhile, since the first housing 611 is fixed to the drum 4, the firsthousing 611 will be rotated together with the drum when the drum 4 isrotated. Therefore, it is preferable that the first inlet 613 isprovided as a ring shaped slit passing through the upper surface of thefirst housing 611 along a circumferential direction of the through hole611 a.

The aforementioned first balancer supplies the fluid to the first inlet613 through a first housing water supply unit. In this case, the watersupply units 17 and 19 for supplying the washing water to the tub 2 mayserve as the first housing water supply unit.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, if the water supply pipe 17 is provided tosupply the washing water to a guider 23 provided to pass through theupper surface of the tub and the first inlet 613 is located below theguider 23, the water supply pipe 17 may supply the fluid to the storageunits 611 b even while the first housing 611 is being rotated by thedrum 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the fluid supplied to each storage unit 611 b may bedischarged to the outside of the storage unit 611 b through a firstdischarge unit 615.

FIG. 4(a) illustrates the first discharge unit for discharging the fluidstored in the storage units 611 b only if the first housing 611 is notrotated by the drum 4, and FIG. 4(b) illustrates first discharge unitsfor discharging the fluid inside the storage units 611 b if the fluidstored in the storage units 611 b exceeds a certain water level.

The first discharge unit 615 of FIG. 4(a) is a hole 615 c provided topass through the first housing 611, communicating the storage units 611b with the through hole 611 a, and is provided along a direction towardthe rotation center of the drum in an area of the first housing 611.Therefore, if the first housing 611 is rotated by the drum 4, the fluidsupplied to the storage units 611 b is not discharged to the outside ofthe storage units 611 b by a centrifugal force. However, if the drum 4stops its rotation or is rotated at RPM lower than a preset RPM, thefluid may be discharged to the drum 4 through the first discharge unit615.

The first discharge units of FIG. 4(b) include a discharge pipe 615 aextended from the bottom of the storage units 611 b to the upper surfaceof the first housing 611, and a cover 615 b extended from the firsthousing 611 to the discharge pipe 615 a, covering a circumferentialsurface of the discharge pipe 615 a.

The hole 615 c communicating the storage units 611 b with the outside isprovided inside the discharge pipe 615 a. The cover 615 b is provided tosurround an outer circumference surface of the discharge pipe 615 a, isprovided to be spaced apart from the bottom of the first housing 611 ata predetermined distance, and is provided so as not to be in contactwith the upper end of the discharge pipe 615 a. Therefore, the fluidinside the storage units 611 b cannot be discharged to the outside ofthe storage units 611 b until the water level inside the storage units611 b reaches the upper end of the discharge pipe 615 a.

However, if the water level inside the storage units 611 b reaches theupper end of the discharge pipe 615 a, the fluid inside the storage unit611 b enters the upper end of the discharge pipe 615 a through a spacebetween the outer circumference surface of the discharge pipe 615 a andthe inner circumference surface of the cover 615 b and then isdischarged from the storage units 611 b through the hole 615 c.

Meanwhile, if the fluid of the storage units 611 b starts to bedischarged through the hole 615 c, the fluid inside the storage units611 b will fully be discharged to the outside of the storage units 611 bby a difference between a pressure inside the discharge pipe 615 a and apressure inside the storage units 611 b (siphon).

The hole 615 c may be provided to pass through a side of the firsthousing 611 as shown in FIG. 4(b), or may be provided to pass throughthe bottom of the first housing 611.

If the first balancer 61 is provided in the laundry treating apparatusof the present invention, the magnetic force generator 73 of the sensor7 may be provided inside the storage units 611 b of the first balancer.That is, the magnetic force generator 73 may be provided to be fixed tothe bottom of the storage units 611 b or the barrier 611 c of thestorage units 611 b.

Meanwhile, if the position of the laundry, which causes unbalance, isdetermined, the controller should rotate the drum to supply the fluid tothe storage units 611 b located in an opposite direction of the positionof the laundry that causes unbalance. Therefore, if a plurality ofmagnetic force generators 73 are provided in the storage units 611 b ofthe first balancer, the signal generator 61 may sense the magnetic forcegenerators 73 and transmit a signal to the controller, whereby thecontroller may easily determine a rotational angle of the drum throughthe signal transmitted from the signal generator 71.

In this case, the plurality of magnetic force generators 73 may beprovided in all the respective storage units, or may be provided to bespaced apart from one another at a constant interval (ex: threepermanent magnets spaced apart from one another at 120° and fixed to thestorage units).

As shown in FIG. 5, the second balancer 64 may include a second housing641 fixed to the drum 4 and rotated together with the drum, storageunits 641 b provided inside the second housing, providing a space wherethe fluid is stored, a second inlet 643 for allowing the fluid to enterthe storage units 641 b, and a second discharge unit 645 discharging thefluid inside the storage units 641 b to the outside of the storage units641 b.

Since the second housing 641 should be fixed to the bottom of the drumor the lower circumferential surface of the drum so as not to interferewith the driving unit 5, it is preferable that the second housing 641 isprovided in a ring shape to have a through hole 641 a at the center.

As shown in FIG. 6, at least two storage units 641 b should be providedinside the second housing, and the respective storage units 641 b shouldbe partitioned from each other by a barrier 641 c.

The fluid is supplied to the storage units 641 b through the secondinlet 643 provided to pass through the second housing 641. Meanwhile,the second housing 641 is rotated together with the drum 4 when the drum4 is rotated, it is preferable that the second inlet 643 is provided ina ring shaped slit passing through the upper surface of the secondhousing 641 or a ring shaped slit passing through the side of the secondhousing 641.

As shown in FIG. 5, if the second inlet 643 is provided in a ring shapedslit passing through the upper surface of the second housing 641, asecond housing water supply unit 657 should be provided to spray thefluid to a space between the bottom of the drum 4 and the upper surfaceof the second housing 641.

However, if the second inlet 643 is provided in a ring shaped slitpassing through the side of the second housing 641, the second housingwater supply unit 657 may be provided to directly spray the fluid towardthe second inlet 643.

The second housing water supply unit 657 may include a second balancerwater supply pipe 647 a fixed to the tub 2, and a valve 647 b foropening or closing the second balancer water supply pie through thecontroller. The second balancer water supply pipe 647 a may directly beconnected with an external water supply source, or may be connected withthe water supply pipe 17.

As shown in FIG. 6, the fluid supplied to the storage units 641 b of thesecond balancer may be discharged to the outside of the storage units641 b through a second discharge unit 645.

FIG. 6(a) illustrates the second discharge unit for discharging thefluid stored in the storage units 641 b only if the second housing 641is not rotated by the drum 4, and FIG. 6(b) illustrates second dischargeunits for discharging the fluid inside the storage units 641 b if thefluid stored in the storage units 641 b exceeds a certain water level.

The second discharge unit 645 of FIG. 6(a) is a hole 645 c provided topass through the second housing 641, communicating the storage units 641b with the through hole 641 a, and is provided along a direction towardthe rotation center of the drum.

Meanwhile, the second discharge unit shown in FIG. 6(b) includes adischarge pipe 645 a extended from the bottom of the storage units 641 bto the upper surface of the second housing 641, and a cover 645 bextended from the second housing 641 to the discharge pipe 645 a,covering a circumferential surface of the discharge pipe 645 a.

The second discharge unit 645 shown in FIG. 6(a) discharges the fluidstored in the storage units 641 b of the second balancer in the samemanner as the first discharge unit 615 shown in FIG. 4(a), and thesecond discharge units 645 a, 645 b and 645 c shown in FIG. 6(b)discharge the fluid stored in the storage units 641 b of the secondbalancer in the same manner as the first discharge units 615 a, 615 band 615 c shown in FIG. 4b . Therefore, their detailed description willbe omitted.

In the laundry treating apparatus 100 provided with the balancers 61 and64 of the aforementioned structure, the controller (not shown)determines whether unbalance has been generated in the drum 4 and aposition of laundry that causes unbalance, through the sensor 7 whilethe drum 4 is being rotated through the driving unit 5.

If it is determined that unbalance has been generated in the drum, basedon the signal provided by the sensor 7, the controller supplies thefluid to the storage units 611 b and 641 b of each balancer located inan opposite direction of a direction where the laundry causing unbalanceis located.

If the fluid is supplied to each of the storage units 611 b and 641 b, aweight of the drum in an opposite direction of a direction where thelaundry causing unbalance is located is locally increased, wherebyunbalance of the drum 4 may be solved.

Although the laundry treating apparatus 100 of the present invention maybe provided to include both the first balancer 61 and the secondbalancer 64, the laundry treating apparatus may include only the firstbalancer 61 in that the bottom of the drum 4 is fixed to the rotaryshaft 51 of the driving unit to generate an amplitude which is notgreat.

Hereinafter, a method of controlling the laundry treating apparatushaving the aforementioned structure will be described.

If laundry is put into the drum 4, the controller supplies washing waterto the tub 2 through the water supply units 17 and 19.

For washing of the laundry, the drum 4 should be rotated to rub thelaundry with the washing water. Therefore, if water supply is completed,the controller rotates the drum 4 through the driving unit 5. When thedrum is rotated for washing of the laundry, since the washing water isstored in the tub 2, the possibility of unbalance generated in the drum4 is very low.

If washing of the laundry is completed, the controller drains thewashing water inside the tub 2 through the drainage units 16 and 18 andthen rotates the drum at a preset RPM (reference RPM) to dehydrate thelaundry.

When the drum is rotated to dehydrate the laundry, since there is nowashing water in the tub, the possibility of unbalance is very highdepending on the position of the laundry. Therefore, the controllerdetermines whether the signal provided by the signal generator 71 hasgotten out of a preset reference range or exceeds a preset referencevalue while the drum 4 is being rotated at a reference RPM.

If it is determined that the signal provided by the signal generator 71has gotten out of the reference range or the reference value, thecontroller lowers RPM of the drum 4 or stops rotation of the drum 4 bycontrolling the driving unit 5. Therefore, in the present invention, thedrum 4 and the tub 2 may be prevented from colliding with each other.

Afterwards, in the present invention, a step for laundry distributionmay be performed to solve unbalance, or the fluid may be supplied to thebalancers 61 and 64 to solve unbalance.

The step for laundry distribution is the step of rotating the drum 4through the driving unit 5 after supplying the washing water to the tubthrough the water supply units 17 and 19.

However, since the drum 4 does not need to be rotated at fast speed atthe laundry distribution step, RPM of the drum at the laundrydistribution step may be set to be smaller than the reference RPM. Thelaundry distribution step is completed if the drum alternately performsclockwise rotation and counterclockwise rotation for a preset time.

If the laundry distribution step is completed, the controller drains thewashing water supplied to the tub for the laundry distribution stepthrough the drainage units 16 and 18, If drainage is completed, thecontroller dehydrates the laundry by again rotating the drum at thereference RPM.

Meanwhile, if the fluid is supplied to the balancers 61 and 64 tocontrol unbalance, the controller (not shown) supplies the fluid to thestorage units 611 b and 641 b of each balancer located in an oppositedirection of the direction where the laundry causing unbalance throughthe water supply units 17 and 19 and the second housing water supplyunit 657.

If unbalance is solved by supply of the fluid to each of the balancers61 and 64, the controller dehydrates the laundry by rotating the drum atthe reference RPM.

The balancer having the first discharge unit of FIG. 4(a) and the seconddischarge unit of FIG. 6(a) should supply the fluid to each of thestorage units 611 b and 641 b in a state that rotation of the drum isnot stopped, and the fluid supplied to each of the storage units 611 band 641 b will be discharged from each of the storage units 611 b and641 b when rotation of the drum 4 is stopped.

However, the balancer having the first discharge unit of FIG. 4(b) andthe second discharge unit of FIG. 6(b) may supply the fluid to each ofthe storage units 611 b and 641 b regardless of rotation of the drum,and the fluid supplied to each of the storage units 611 b and 641 b willbe discharged from each of the storage units 611 b and 641 b the watersupply units 17 and 19 and the second housing water supply unit 657 haveonly to additionally supply the fluid of a certain amount or more toeach of the storage units 611 b and 641 b.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the presentinvention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing fromthe spirit and essential characteristics of the invention. Thus, theabove embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention should be determined byreasonable interpretation of the appended claims and all change whichcomes within the equivalent scope of the invention are included in thescope of the invention.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Theappearances of such phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within thepurview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, orcharacteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of controlling a laundry treatingapparatus, the laundry treatment apparatus comprising a drum in whichlaundry is stored, a drum inlet provided at a first end of the drum, atub for rotatably supporting the drum, a tub inlet provided at a firstend of the tub and communicating with the drum inlet, a driving unit forrotating the drum, at least one permanent magnet provided in any one ofthe drum and the tub to generate a magnetic force, a signal generatorprovided in the other one of the drum and the tub to generate varioussignals based on the magnetic force varied depending on a position ofthe permanent magnet; and a controller for controlling an operation ofthe driving unit and a supply and a discharge of water to the tub via awater supply unit and a drainage unit, respectively, in accordance witha signal provided by the signal generator while the drum is beingrotated, the method comprising: rotating the drum at a firstpredetermined RPM through the driving unit; sensing, via the signalgenerator, a magnetic force value of a magnetic force generated in thepermanent magnet during rotation of the drum; stopping an operation ofthe driving unit or rotating the drum at a second predetermined RPMwhich is lower than the first predetermined RPM if the sensed magneticforce value is outside of a predetermined magnetic force value referencerange; supplying water to and storing water in the tub through the watersupply unit after stopping an operation of the driving unit or rotatingthe drum at the second predetermined RPM; rotating the drum at a thirdpredetermined RPM different from the first predetermined RPM through thedriving unit; draining the water stored in the tub through the drainageunit after rotating the drum at the third predetermined RPM for apredetermined time period; and rotating the drum at the firstpredetermined RPM through the driving unit.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the magnetic force value is a voltage signal, and thepredetermined magnetic force value range has a predetermined voltagerange.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third predetermined RPM islower than the first predetermined RPM.
 4. The method of claim 3,wherein, when the drum is rotated at the third predetermined RPM, thedrum is rotated alternately clockwise and counterclockwise for thepredetermined time period.
 5. A control method of a laundry treatingapparatus, the laundry treating apparatus comprising a drum in whichlaundry is stored, a drum inlet provided at a first end of the drum, atub for rotatably supporting the drum and having a tub inletcommunicating with the drum inlet, a driving unit for rotating the drum,at least one permanent magnet provided in any one of the drum and thetub to generate a magnetic force, a signal generator provided in theother one of the drum and the tub to generate various signals based onthe magnetic force varied depending on a position of the permanentmagnet; a first balancer having a ring shape and fixed to one of thefirst end or the second end of the drum and including a plurality ofstorage chambers arranged to form the ring shape and configured toreceive and store water to correct an unbalanced state of the drum; acontroller for controlling an operation of the driving unit, a supply ofwater to the first balancer via an inlet for allowing the water to entereach of the storage chambers, and a discharge of water from the firstbalancer via an outlet for discharging the water inside each of thestorage chambers to the drum, the controller controlling the operation,supply, and discharge in accordance with a signal generated by thesignal generator while the drum is being rotated, and a housing watersupply unit for supplying the water to the inlet, the method comprising:rotating the drum at a first predetermined RPM via the driving unit;sensing, via the signal generator, a magnetic force value of a magneticforce generated by the permanent magnet during rotation of the drum atthe first predetermined RPM; rotating the drum at a second predeterminedRPM which is lower than the first predetermined RPM if the sensedmagnetic force value is outside of a predetermined magnetic force valuerange; supplying water to the first balancer after rotation of the drumat the second predetermined RPM through the driving unit ; storingsupplied water in at least one of the storage chambers of the firstbalancer; rotating the drum at a third predetermined RPM through thedriving unit after supplying water to the first balancer; sensing, viathe signal generator, a magnetic force value of a magnetic forcegenerated by the permanent magnet during rotation of the drum at thethird predetermined RPM; draining the water stored in the first balancerif the sensed magnetic force value is inside the predetermined magneticforce value range; and rotating the drum at the first predetermined RPMthrough the driving.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein supplying waterto the first balancer after rotation of the drum at the secondpredetermined RPM includes supplying the water through the housing watersupply unit to storage chambers of the first balancer provided at aposition that is opposite a position of laundry that causes unbalance.7. The method of claim 6, wherein the third predetermined RPM is lowerthan the first predetermined RPM.
 8. The method of the laundry treatingapparatus according to claim 7, wherein the magnetic force value is avoltage signal, and the predetermined magnetic force value rangeincludes a predetermined voltage range.
 9. The method of claim 8,further including draining the water stored in the at least one storagechamber of the first balancer if the controller stops the rotation ofthe drum.
 10. The control method of the laundry treating apparatusaccording to claim 8, wherein draining the water stored in the firstbalancer includes draining the water stored in the at least one storagechamber via a siphon effect by supplying water to at least one otherstorage chamber during a rotation of the drum at a fourth predeterminedRPM.
 11. The method of claim 5, wherein the laundry treating apparatusfurther comprises a second balancer having a ring shape and fixed to theother of the first and second end of the drum and has a plurality ofstorage chambers arranged to form the ring shape, the controller furthercontrols a supply and a discharge of water to the second balancer andcontrols the first balancer and the second balancer independently inaccordance with a signal provided by the signal generator while the drumis being rotated, the storage chambers of the second balancer areconfigured to receive and store water, and the water held in theplurality of storage chambers of the first and second balancers correctsan unbalanced state of the drum, the first balancer and the secondbalancer are spaced apart by a constant vertical distance regardless ofa rotation of the drum, and supplying water to the first balancer afterrotation of the drum at the second predetermined RPM includes supplyingwater to the second balancer, and draining the water stored in the firstbalancer includes draining the water stored in the second balancer . 12.A method for controlling a laundry treatment apparatus, comprising:rotating a drum at a first RPM, the drum having a first end; stoppingthe drum or rotating the drum at a second RPM in response to anunbalanced state of the drum, the second RPM being less than the firstRPM; supplying fluid to and storing fluid in at least one storagechamber among a plurality of storage chambers arranged to form a firstbalancer that is fixed to the first end of the drum, each storagechamber being configured to store fluid and including an inlet throughwhich fluid is supplied and an outlet through which fluid is discharged;after supplying and storing fluid in the at least one storage chamber,rotating the drum at a third RPM; draining the fluid stored in the atleast one storage chamber in response to a balanced state of the drum;and rotating the drum at the first RPM after draining the stored fluid.13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: before rotating the drumat the first RPM, washing laundry stored in the drum for a predeterminedwashing time and draining washing fluid from the drum after thepredetermined washing time, and after a predetermined dehydration timeafter rotating the drum at the first RPM, stopping a rotation of thedrum.
 14. The method of claim 12, further including, before supplyingfluid to and storing fluid in the at least one storage chamber,determining to which at least one storage chamber among the plurality ofstorage chambers to supply fluid based on a sensed magnetic force,wherein the sensed magnetic force is generated by a plurality ofpermanent magnets spaced apart at constant intervals corresponding topositions of the plurality of storage chambers.
 15. The method of claim12, wherein the plurality of storage chambers form a ring-shape.
 16. Themethod of claim 12, wherein a plurality of storage chambers are arrangedto form a second balancer fixed to a second end of the drum, the secondend being opposite to the first end.
 17. The method of claim 16, whereina supply and discharge of fluid to the second balancer is independentfrom a supply and discharge of fluid to the first balancer.
 18. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the drum rotates around an axis thatconnects the first and second ends.
 19. The method of claim 16, whereinthe first and second balancers are spaced apart by a constant verticaldistance.
 20. The method of claim 12, wherein the storage chambers areconfigured to store fluid during rotation of the drum, and the storagechambers are configured to discharge stored fluid when the rotation ofthe drum is stopped or when a pressure difference occurs between adischarge pipe and a pressure inside the storage chambers after fluid inthe storage chambers has reached a predetermined fluid levelcorresponding to an upper end of the discharge pipe.